Shops, eateries needed to draw beachside tourists

Published: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 5:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, March 18, 2013 at 5:57 p.m.

Once again, Daytona Beach has been reminded that officials need to do more to spruce up the city's tourism image and tourism options.

Mid-Florida Marketing and Research Inc. did some surveying and found a large portion of tourists believe Daytona Beach is a one-or-two-trick pony. The city has beaches and a racetrack, but not a vast array of eateries and retail options, this survey found.

Sure, Daytona has fine beaches, the pier and Ocean Walk Shoppes. And for race fans, we have a world-famous destination, Daytona International Speedway. But that comes up short on the list many tourists have for a complete vacation.

Mid-Florida Marketing and Research found about half of east-of-the-Mississippi respondents believe Daytona Beach doesn't have enough restaurants. Almost half of Floridians and two-thirds of east-of-the-Mississippi residents said the area needs more stores.

It may be a secondary consideration, but tourists like to dine out and shop. Dining tends to be a top draw for tourism.

Many tourists think Daytona Beach has a decidedly limited menu of stores and restaurants. The city needs to fix that perception by continuing to redevelop the beachside, particularly the "E-Zone" tourist area which stretches from Ocean Walk Shoppes southward to Harvey Street. The E-Zone has been targeted for revitalization by city government, yet reality still lags behind the ambitious intentions.

To change tourists' perceptions requires new attention to the beachside. This district is the front door to the Daytona Beach tourism area, yet many tourists don't see more options from there. They don't see Port Orange's shops, or all of Ormond Beach's restaurants. What they do see is a bit of blight in the city's E-Zone.

Revitalization must involve expanding the private sector with new businesses, particularly restaurants and retail stores that sell wares beyond T-shirts. The revitalization should begin at the beachside core and spread out, filling vacant lots and storefronts on Atlantic Avenue and Main Street.

This will take a lot of private investment and perhaps new incentives. With the economy slowly improving, there are opportunities for recruiting new entrepreneurs and large retailers for spots on the beachside.

Daytona Beach's main competitors have no shortage of retail and dining options. And our competitors keep adding more, keeping their tourism machines well oiled. Orlando added Downtown Disney and Universal CityWalk, areas that capture the retail aspect of tourists' visits.

Despite the addition of OceanWalk Shoppes to the beachside — and the reopening of the beloved pier, with Joe's Crab Shack as anchor — Daytona Beach has to do more to ensure its future as a tourism destination.

Adding another big hotel in the E-Zone should help. A two-tower condo/hotel complex, south of the E-Zone along Atlantic Avenue, is in the works and offers hope for the future.

But efforts need not hinge on new hotels. Jason Reader, general manager of the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, is right when he says bringing a large retailer to Atlantic Avenue near the pier will create more retail momentum. Retail often follows more retail. But who will lead the effort to attract such a magnet?

Daytona Beach will continue to lag unless it gives an impression of vigor and vitality to visitors. Neglect and blight — distinguished by vacant or deteriorating buildings — will drive away tourists and lead to further decay. The area's guests have noticed the problems and local leaders must respond with energy and creativity so that the old boast, "World's Most Famous Beach," will not lose all meaning to outsiders.

<p>Once again, Daytona Beach has been reminded that officials need to do more to spruce up the city's tourism image and tourism options. </p><p>Mid-Florida Marketing and Research Inc. did some surveying and found a large portion of tourists believe Daytona Beach is a one-or-two-trick pony. The city has beaches and a racetrack, but not a vast array of eateries and retail options, this survey found. </p><p>Sure, Daytona has fine beaches, the pier and Ocean Walk Shoppes. And for race fans, we have a world-famous destination, Daytona International Speedway. But that comes up short on the list many tourists have for a complete vacation. </p><p>Mid-Florida Marketing and Research found about half of east-of-the-Mississippi respondents believe Daytona Beach doesn't have enough restaurants. Almost half of Floridians and two-thirds of east-of-the-Mississippi residents said the area needs more stores. </p><p>It may be a secondary consideration, but tourists like to dine out and shop. Dining tends to be a top draw for tourism. </p><p>Many tourists think Daytona Beach has a decidedly limited menu of stores and restaurants. The city needs to fix that perception by continuing to redevelop the beachside, particularly the "E-Zone" tourist area which stretches from Ocean Walk Shoppes southward to Harvey Street. The E-Zone has been targeted for revitalization by city government, yet reality still lags behind the ambitious intentions. </p><p>To change tourists' perceptions requires new attention to the beachside. This district is the front door to the Daytona Beach tourism area, yet many tourists don't see more options from there. They don't see Port Orange's shops, or all of Ormond Beach's restaurants. What they do see is a bit of blight in the city's E-Zone. </p><p>Revitalization must involve expanding the private sector with new businesses, particularly restaurants and retail stores that sell wares beyond T-shirts. The revitalization should begin at the beachside core and spread out, filling vacant lots and storefronts on Atlantic Avenue and Main Street. </p><p>This will take a lot of private investment and perhaps new incentives. With the economy slowly improving, there are opportunities for recruiting new entrepreneurs and large retailers for spots on the beachside. </p><p>Daytona Beach's main competitors have no shortage of retail and dining options. And our competitors keep adding more, keeping their tourism machines well oiled. Orlando added Downtown Disney and Universal CityWalk, areas that capture the retail aspect of tourists' visits. </p><p>Despite the addition of OceanWalk Shoppes to the beachside &mdash; and the reopening of the beloved pier, with Joe's Crab Shack as anchor &mdash; Daytona Beach has to do more to ensure its future as a tourism destination. </p><p>Adding another big hotel in the E-Zone should help. A two-tower condo/hotel complex, south of the E-Zone along Atlantic Avenue, is in the works and offers hope for the future. </p><p>But efforts need not hinge on new hotels. Jason Reader, general manager of the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, is right when he says bringing a large retailer to Atlantic Avenue near the pier will create more retail momentum. Retail often follows more retail. But who will lead the effort to attract such a magnet? </p><p>Daytona Beach will continue to lag unless it gives an impression of vigor and vitality to visitors. Neglect and blight &mdash; distinguished by vacant or deteriorating buildings &mdash; will drive away tourists and lead to further decay. The area's guests have noticed the problems and local leaders must respond with energy and creativity so that the old boast, "World's Most Famous Beach," will not lose all meaning to outsiders.</p>